Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
Alpha of Idaho, Phi Beta Kappa records, 1921-1980
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Alpha of Idaho, Phi Beta Kappa
- Title
- Alpha of Idaho, Phi Beta Kappa records
- Dates
- 1921-1980 (inclusive)19211980
- Quantity
- 2.5 cubic feet
- Collection Number
- MG 061, MG061 (collection)
- Summary
- Correspondence, minutes, financial material relating to the establishment and activities of the chapter. Some publications of the United Chapters as well as publications about the society.
- Repository
-
University of Idaho Library, Special Collections and Archives
Special Collections and Archives
University of Idaho Library
875 Perimeter Drive
MS 2350
Moscow, ID
83844-2350
Telephone: 2088850845
libspec@uidaho.edu - Access Restrictions
-
Collection is open for research.
- Languages
- English
- Sponsor
- Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Historical NoteReturn to Top
From 1912 to 1916 faculty members who were Phi Beta Kappa members were engaged in a futile attempt to obtain a charter for the university. Then, on November 3, 1921, this group plus members of the community who were also Phi Beta Kappa members formed the Phi Beta Kappa Club for the purpose of obtaining a local charter. In 1923 this club was expanded to include honor students and its name was changed to the Alpha Society. Perseverance, hard work, and a lot of letter writing finally paid off when, on September 8, 1925, Professor G. M. Miller, President of the Alpha Society, received the following telegram: "Charter granted with handsome majority. [signed] Oscar M. Voorhees, Secretary."
The society is composed of faculty and local residents who were elected by their undergraduate institutions for membership. These in turn elect to membership a small number of juniors and seniors with high grade point averages in the College of Letters and Science, these are called Members in Course. Alumni of the University who have had distinguished careers are eligible for election as Alumni Members and scholars associated with the university, but not holding membership from their undergraduate institutions can be elected as Honorary Members.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
The papers of the Idaho Alpha chapter span the years 1921 to 1980.
The material includes correspondence, both incoming and outgoing, relating to membership, initiations, and other society matters, several editions of the local chapter by-laws, including material relating to the by-law controversy of 1941-1942, lists of members and also lists of those juniors and seniors considered for membership, and minutes of meetings from 1926-1936 and 1958-1959, as well as minutes and other material relating to the Alpha Society. The financial records include the annual report to the United Chapters, key orders, bank statements, canceled checks, and invoices, mostly from the United Chapters. There are photographs of Members in Course for 1955 and 1961, and some Phi Beta Kappa publications, addresses, and delegate manuals for conferences.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Preferred Citation
FOR PHOTOS Photographer, "Title," date. Collection name, object ID. University of Idaho Library Special Collections and Archives, Moscow, ID.
FOR DOCUMENTS Author, Description or "Title" of item, date. Collection name, collection number, box, folder. University of Idaho Library Special Collections and Archives, Moscow, ID.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Arrangement
The material in this record group was originally stored in large letter transfer boxes, with some items in folders, some in envelopes, and some loose. The material was sorted by record type and original folder headings, if present, were retained. Since there did not appear to be either an alphabetical or chronological order within individual folders the material was arranged chronologically by year only in cases where a strict chronological order was not important, e.g. letters accepting membership in the society, but where a logical progression was important, a strict chronological order was formed. The major exception to this are correspondence folders 1 and 2 which were originally alphabetical and have been left in that order.
Correspondence dealing with the writing and amending of the chapter by-laws has been retained in the Constitution & By-laws series; likewise, financial correspondence is with the records of the secretary-treasurer.
Due to personnel changes in the office of secretary-treasurer the same types of records will be found in different folders, i.e. one maintained a separate folder for key orders-while another included these with the correspondence. Additional materials were added in 2025 under Series IX: Records. Some materials were discarded due to confidentiality.
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
Series I. Correspondence, 1915-1964Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 1/1-2 | A-Z 127 items
|
1915-1916 |
| 1/3-5 | 256 items |
1920-1925 |
| 1/6 | Election to Membership - Form Letter 2 items
|
undated |
| 1/7-9 | Acceptances (Alumni) 156 items
|
1926-1953 |
| 1/10-12 | Acceptances (Members in Course) 229 items
|
1926-1953 |
| 1/13-15 | Arrangements for Initiations 231 items
|
1926-1953 |
| 1/16 | Memberships and Initiations 56 items
|
1936-1964 |
| 1/17 | Dr. Church's file on Alumni 16 items
|
1927-1963 |
| 1/18 | With Dr. Voorhees 86 items
|
1925-1933 |
| 1/19 | Incidental with members 76 items
|
1926-1950 |
| 1/20 | With Other Groups 79 items
|
1926-1947 |
| 1/21 | Cognate Organizations 17 items
|
1926-1938 |
| 1/22 | Phi Beta Kappa Speaker & Visiting Scholar Program 114 items
|
1935-1961 |
| 1/23 | Committee on Elections 113 items
|
1931-1932 |
| 1/24 | Candidates for Charters 82 items
|
1926-1937 |
| 1/25 | WSC Application for Charter 48 items
|
1926-1929 |
| 1/26 | Conferences & Conventions 48 items
|
1926-1941 |
| 1/27-28 | Circular letters to Chapter Officers 76 items
|
1926-1959 |
| 1/29 | The American Scholar 42 items
|
1931-1953 |
| 1/30 | Sesquicentennial Endowment Fund 57 items
|
1923-1927 |
| 1/31 | Defense Fund 11 items
|
1939-1941 |
| 1/32 | Phi Beta Kappa Associates 6 items
|
1937-1944 |
| 1/33 | Other Correspondence 16 items
|
1931-1960 |
Series II. Constitution and By-laws, 1925-1964Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 1/34 | United Chapters 7 items
|
1925-1955 |
| 1/35 | U-I Chapter, Correspondence 29 items
|
1925-1964 |
| 1/36 | U-I Chapter, drafts of By-laws 16 items
|
1928-1964 |
| 1/37 | The Controversial By-laws at the Bottom of the Crisis of 1941-1942. 1940-1943 48 items
|
Series III. Membership, 1926-1966Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 2/38 | United Chapters Committee on Methods of Election. Reports 3 items
|
1946-1964 |
| 2/39 | Membership Committee File 17 items
|
1936-1964 |
| 2/40 | Candidates for Election 50 items
|
1936-1966 |
| 2/41 | Lists of Members 26 items
|
1926-1965 |
Series IV. Minutes, 1926-1959Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 2/42-44 | Minutes 123 items
|
Feb. 1926 - May 1936 |
| 2/45 | Minutes 10 items
|
1958-1959 |
Series V. Other Papers, 1921-1964Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 2/46 | Papers relating to Idaho's Membership 8 items
|
1925 |
| 2/47 | U of I Installation Programs 10 items
|
1926-1964 |
| 2/48 | Installations - Other Chapters - Invitations 27 items
|
1930-1953 |
| 2/49 | Phi Beta Kappa Book Award 7 items
|
1953-1961 |
| 2/50 | Promotion of Scholarship, Comments of members 18 items
|
1940 |
| 2/51 | Consideration of Rituals 8 items
|
1954-1955 |
| 2/52-53 | Alpha Society 59 items
|
1921-1926 |
| 2/54 | Inland Empire Phi Beta Kappa 36 items
|
1921-1941 |
Series VI. Financial Records, 1925-1967Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 2/55 | Chapter Annual Reports 16 items
|
1938/1939-1953/1954 |
| 2/56 | Correspondence with United Chapters Secretary 129 items
|
1931-1955 |
| 2/57 | Key & Membership Certificate Orders 10 items
|
1956-1965 |
| 2/58 | Membership Card Stub Books 3 items
|
1926-1932 |
| 2/59 | Bank Books and Early receipts 9 items
|
1925-1965 |
| 2/60-70 | Bank Statements, Invoices, etc. 187 items
|
1957-1967 |
| 2/71 | Cash Journal 12 items
|
1962-1966 |
| 2/72 | Check stub and deposit books 5 items
|
1955-1966 |
Series VII. Photographs, 1955-1961Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 2/73 | Group picture with negative (for Gem) 2 items
|
1955 |
| 2/74 | Group picture (Walt Johnson Photo) 1 item
|
1961 |
Series VIII. Publications, 1906-1963Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 2/75 | Association Bulletin 5 items
|
1933-1937 |
| 2/76 | Chapter Bulletin 17 items
|
1931-1937 |
| 2/77 | The Key Reporter 2 items
|
1952-1955 |
| 2/78 | Phi Beta Kappa Bulletin 4 items
|
1955-1959 |
| 2/79 | Phi Beta Kappa Key 1 item
|
October 1915 |
| 2/80 | Phi Beta Kappa Laws and Practices 1 item
|
1933 |
| 2/81 | Publications about Phi Beta Kappa 7 items
|
1906-1963 |
| 2/82-83 | Phi Beta Kappa Addresses 10 items
|
1936-1959 |
| 2/84 | Delegate's manuals to triennial councils 5 items
|
1934-1955 |
Series IX: Phi Beta Kappa RecordsReturn to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Box | Folder | ||
| 3 | 84 | Correspondence
40 items : Correspondence for registration, keys, and other miscellaneous fees.
|
1966-1977 |
| 3 | 85 | Phi Beta Kappa Sophomores
6 items : Materials related to 1981 honors students.
|
1981 |
| 3 | 86 | Membership
19 items : Materials related to membership dues and fees and awards banquets.
|
1961-1977 |
| 3 | 87 | Financial Records (I)
48 items : Financial records including fees and dues, and correspondence on payments.
|
1973-1980 |
| 3 | 88 | Financial Records (II)
7 items : Financial records including payment records and ledgers.
|
1953-1969 |
| object | |||
| 3 | 89 | Ledger (I)
1 items : Ledger from 1926 to 1951 for the Phi Beta Kappa, Alpha Chapter at the University of Idaho.
|
1926-1951 |
| 3 | 90 | Ledger (II)
1 items : Ledger from 1971 to 1980 for the Phi Beta Kappa, Alpha Chapter at University of Idaho.
|
1971-1980 |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
Other Creators
-
Corporate Names
Finding aid prepared by Judith Nielsen. Additional materials added by Zoe Stave.
1985; 2025.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
